This application relates to the discovery and asexual propagation of a new and distinct variety of grapevine, ‘Sugrafifty’, as herein described and illustrated. The new variety was first selected as breeder number ‘GR377R’ by Terry A. Bacon in Wasco, Kern County, Calif. in August 2013. The variety was originated by controlled hybridization.
The new variety ‘Sugrafifty’ is characterized by a midseason harvest date, the production of a large-sized, red, broad elliptic berry and a very large bunch size. The berries of ‘Sugrafifty’ are very firm.
The seed parent is the varietal selection ‘Sugrathirtyfive’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,491) and the pollen parent is from bulk pollen of several red grapevine varieties. The parent varieties were first crossed in May 2011. The date of first sowing was March 2012, and the date of first flowering was May 2013.
The new variety ‘Sugrafifty’ was first asexually propagated in December 2013 in Wasco, Kern County, Calif., by Terry A. Bacon using hardwood cuttings.
The new variety ‘Sugrafifty’ differs from its seed parent ‘Sugrathirtyfive’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,491) in that harvest of grapes of the new variety ‘Sugrafifty’ starts about August 5th compared to about August 28th for ‘Sugrathirtyfive’. The new variety ‘Sugrafifty’ also differs from its seed parent ‘Sugrathirtyfive’ in that the new variety ‘Sugrafifty’ has a red berry while ‘Sugrathirtyfive’ has a green berry.
The new variety has a red berry similar to that of ‘Crimson Seedless’ (unpatented), ‘Sugrathirtyeight’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,431), ‘Scarlet Royal’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,229). The beginning of ripening is August 5th for the new variety, compared to September 5th for ‘Crimson Seedless’, August 10th for ‘Sugrathirtyeight’, August 25th for ‘Scarlet Royal’ and July 20th for ‘Sugrathirteen’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,434). The new variety also has a broad, elliptic berry shape, compared to an elongated berry shape for both ‘Crimson Seedless’, ‘Sugrathirteen’ and ‘Scarlet Royal’. The new variety ‘Sugrafifty’ differs from ‘Sugrathirtyeight’, which has an oval shape. The new variety ‘Sugrafifty’ has a rudimentary seed similar to ‘Crimson Seedless’, ‘Sugrathirteen’ and ‘Sugrathirtyeight’, but different from ‘Scarlet Royal’ which has a noticeable seed trace. The new variety ‘Sugrafifty’ has a larger berry weight than ‘Crimson Seedless’, ‘Sugrathirteen’, ‘Sugrathirtyeight’ and ‘Scarlet Royal’. The new variety ‘Sugrafifty’ has a larger cluster weight than ‘Crimson Seedless’, ‘Sugrathirteen’, ‘Sugrathirtyeight’ and ‘Scarlet Royal’.
The new ‘Sugrafifty’ variety has been shown to maintain its distinguishing characteristics through successive asexual propagations by, for example, cuttings and grafting.
Variations of the usual magnitude from the characteristics described herein may occur with changes in any of a variety of factors such as growing conditions, irrigation, fertilization, pruning, management and climatic variation.